Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is facing criticism from fellow Democrats after she amended or vetoed several bills passed by the Democratic-led General Assembly, including measures on marijuana legalization, immigration enforcement, and gun safety.
On April 15, Spanberger finalized her action on 1,100 bills from the 2026 session—signing 972 into law, amending 180, and vetoing eight. Several of the amended bills were top Democratic priorities, and the changes did not sit well with some of the lawmakers who wrote them.
Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Henrico) and Del. Paul Krizek (D-Fairfax), who carried Virginia’s retail marijuana legislation, released a two-page statement on April 14 that said the “substantially rewritten” legislation “falls short of the standard established in the [original] bill.”…
Virginia Democrats Push Back Against Gov. Spanberger’s Amendments and Vetoes on Marijuana, ICE
